In New Zealand there are metalheads but not so many as to make the 'culture' seem 'normal'. While metalheads may not be seen walking around a town centre during the day for instance, at night if there was a decent, at least semi-well-known metal band playing, the metallers would be out in force hehe. I'd say it's probably the same as in similar countries (in terms of people who live here). We're despised and feared by some people, not so by others.
I notice that if I am walking around in my local city centre during the day there's a lot of the people who would get lumped in the preppy/trend-following category. Amongst people like that, I stand out. Because I have long black hair, wear black clothing and metal shirts, and boots, I may as well be carrying a big neon sign that says "Look at me!". I don't like being part of a crowd, even if at a gig I am just "part of the crowd" because everyone else is a metalhead and looks the same as me. But that's just my style and I'm sticking by it.
I'm really into metal and I like to represent it. That's why I'll wear a shirt with one of my favourite bands on the front. I find that people always take notice of me like that, whether they give me unfriendly or worried looks hehe.
One day I was walking past a bus stop and two old ladies were sitting there, one of them had a bag of shopping sitting by her feet on the ground. As I got closer, they looked at me. One of them looked at me as if I was the most vile creature on the face of the earth, and shopping-bag-lady looked a bit scared and grabbed her bag to her and held it tight hahahahaha. Just by walking past I incited such emotion in someone, old people or not. Just makes me laugh
. Another time I heard a group of preppy-skatee kinda teenagers, about the same age as me saying stuff like "Fucking bogans" and "Weird freaks" etc as me and some mates walked past.
However...I've also noticed that when I do see other like-minded people it's always cool because there's always a sort of instant connection I guess. Kindred spirits if you will hehe. Always with the \m/ salute in those situations
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When I was in Melbourne last week to see Opeth, it seemed that metalheads were in more of a minority and more despised than here in New Zealand. I felt quite a bit of animosity from people. I think quite a few people wanted to hurt me hahaha. Oh well...that's why I wear steel caps after all
. The long thick chain on my wallet isn't just an accessory or to make sure I don't lose it either...
